If we can be sure of one thing around the Lakers this summer it is this: Antawn Jamison will not be back.

The veteran forward was frustrated all season with how he was used — or often not used — in the ever-shifting Mike D’Antoni Lakers lineups. He handled it professionally but I heard him express frustration and confusion more than once after games.

Lakers forward Antawn Jamison is set to undergo wrist surgery at 7 a.m. Tuesday. The Lakers’ veteran forward sustained an injury on March 22 in a loss to the Washington Wizards. An MRI revealed ligament damage, but Jamison played through the discomfort to help the team finish the season…

Despite the Lakers’ efforts to contact him, Jamison skipped his exit interview with the team on Monday, according to a team spokesman.

Jamison will land somewhere else next season (he had a one-year minimum deal with the Lakers). He may be 37 at the start of next season but he averaged 9.4 points a game on 46.4 percent shooting and 36 percent from three in the Lakers screwed up systems. As a veteran shooter off the bench he has a lot of value to teams, likely on a minimum deal again but he will get a job.

I’d love to see him suit up in Chicago next summer to provide more depth and floor balance. With a healthy version of Rose, Kirk, Luol, Noah, Boozer, Bellaneli,Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Nazr, Rip, and add in Jamison…you would have a very deep and balanced team that would absolutely contend for the eastern conference championship and quite possibly the NBA championship as a whole.

Rip and Bellinelli will likely be gone next year. Butler took the starting spot and Robinson will likely have to pay alongside Rose if they are able to bring him back. Also Nazr was on a 1 year deal so he may not even be there either.

I get what you’re saying though, He’d be a great bench player for the Bulls, being able to spell Deng and/or Butler while providing some much needed scoring.

i have no problem with jamison expressing frustration, because he did it in a way that really didn’t affect the team, but it was just an admission that he was unhappy. he didn’t get all iverson-in-memphis and throw tantrums. he just said how he was feeling, continued to do what he was told and played ball. it was just a revelation to the public in regards to his stance of the situation he was in.

i thought coming into the season he’d have a bigger role. i even thought he’d be a decent 6th man this year. so of course, i was wondering what the heck was happening that his role was so minimal. it was just good to know how jamison felt on his side of things, not some crazy politically correct answer like, we’re a team (even though we’d all like to believe that were true).

i’m just saying it was refreshing to know jamison still felt like he could ball, and contribute some things more than he was being allowed to. it was good to know he still believed in his talents and was simply baffled as to why he wasn’t playing, and wasn’t just a product of his decline (which could be the case).

Him skipping the exit interview essentially WAS his exit interview. He is sending the Laker brass a very loud statement, much louder than if he showed up and vented to them. He is a well respected professional who can still play and WILL play for a good team next season. Nice job, Jim, Mitch & Coach Mike…

Thanks for MANing up and playing through pain for us AJ. You started off slow in the beginning but then once you got it going you impressed me, at your age. Good 3pt. shot and underrated rebounder with nice variety of scoop shots around the rim, “old man moves”. Good luck in the future ‘Twan.

Jamison is a consummate professional. D’Antoni did not find a way to maximize AJ and use him effectively. Jamison saw inconsistent playing time and when he was on the court, he often found himself in strange lineups or places that did not utilize his abilities. Through all the bad coaching, Jamison never complained or made a big deal about it. He was unhappy, but he was matter of fact about it, he was honest that he was unhappy, but he never complained or made a distraction. He continued to play hard, had some great games for the Lakers and even with his misuse he had a good year. I do not blame him for being upset about how his season played out. I wish he would come back but that won’t happen.

Would love that. But with the Dubs having Barnes and Green at the 3, with Brandon Rush coming back from injury next year and another year of grossly overpaid Richard Jefferson there just isnt room for the guy. Wish there was.

The guy can still play, and play well in limited minutes. Outstanding role player if properly utilized. I thought he was just another overpublicized Tar Heel coming out of college–look how wrong you can be. A true pro.

For a Laker ? LIke he goes to Santa Monica beach and the sun’s Vit D makes his legs go 10 years younger ? Even for you, this is a really stupid statement. So if he plays in Utah, he will have to stuff his mouth with all the Jamesion vitamins they make in Utah ? Is that his edge ? Does he get free stock in the company thanks to his name. ? What happens if he signs with Bobbycats ? Does he and MJ rub noses before games, Tar Heeling.? Next question.